Parliament, Friday, 27 December 2023 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy as well as the Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication today resolved to reschedule a meeting with the Board and Senior Management of Eskom to next week to ensure that a full complement of senior management and the board are present for this extraordinary session.
The resolution was arrived at following the departure of the Group Chief Executive Officer from the meeting on account of another meeting he had to attend. The apology of the GCEO was verbally tabled just before the start of the meeting which is contrary to practice in Parliament which calls for written apologies to be submitted before time. The Chief Operating Officer was also not present at the meeting. The non-attendance of the GCEO and COO is concerning especially considering the fact that the senior management was given adequate notice.
The committees were of the view that this meeting was too important for it to proceed without the two most senior executives at Eskom. As a result, the committees endeavoured to organise a meeting next week in Cape Town where the Eskom board and senior management will attend and outline short, medium and long term strategies aimed at resolving the energy crisis.
The committees also highlighted concerns that the presentation made to the committees was similar to a previous presentation and lacked precision and the necessary energy to resolve the current challenges. While the presentation touched on many critical aspects, especially the long-term goals, the committees where of the view that it lacked short term strategies. Thus the committees expect Eskom to directly address specific issues including the Energy Availability Factor, security of electricity supply, the operational state of all power stations, governance at the entity, process towards employment of the new GCEO, possible solutions to the current load shedding, as well as alleged sabotage and theft at power stations.
It is the view of the committees that for the country to overcome the current energy challenge it requires a refocus and recommitment to collaboration across the board, with everyone pulling in the same direction. It is for this fact that the committees engaged organised labour, senior managers and the board in order to achieve a common goal.
In the morning the committee had to urgently disperse with an allegation levelled against one of the board members. The committee resolved to give the board space and time to investigate the matter and report to the committee within the earliest possible time.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ENTERPRISES, PC ON MINERALS AND ENERGY & SELECT COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ENTERPRISES AND COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNICATION, MR KHAYA MAGAXA, MR SAHLULELE LUZIPO AND MR ZOLANI MKIVA.
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